Confined
by Raiast
Summary: When Ginny discovers Lucius Malfoy's evil plot she's sent away to Muggle America for protection. On a completely unrelated note, Narcissa Malfoy takes drastic measures to ensure that her son stays alive. HBP AU
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer:_ I own not the Harry Potter characters, plots or settings…though I wish fervently that I did.

---On with the story---

Some people, such as Harry and Ron, have a knack for getting into trouble at any given time. This is probably because of their curious and meddlesome nature. For some people, such traits can prove very useful. For example, Harry, due to his constant meddling, had been able to prevent _several_ takeovers planned by the Dark Lord. For other people, curiosity simply killed the cat. In _Ginny's_ case, curiosity massacred the poor kitten with a two by four.

She cursed her short attention span and tendency for wandering off as she crouched; huddled in a dark corner of the pub, trying not to be seen and hoping to Merlin she was doing a good job of it.

She had been contemplating her escape for nearly five minutes, planning on crawling over to the wall and casually slipping out the door. After all, the pub was nearly empty, with most of the customers sitting at the bar or engrossed in conversations, probably concerning illegal things, Ginny mused.

Her mother had told her not to go wandering off. She had fussed and fussed when Ginny declared that she wanted to be a big girl and go shopping for her school supplies with the other three kids, damn near throwing a fit when her mother tried to deny her the right. Ginny would have been fine, had it not been for the Trio's annoying habit of occupying the Apothecary for almost an hour. She'd slipped out unnoticed, wandering about blindly before realizing that she was in Knockturn Alley.

Now, this didn't have to be a big deal. She could just turn around and walk on out, right? Ginny had a sneaking suspicion that the alley changed every now and then, especially when someone that didn't belong was trying to get out. She ended up in front of the same pub, The Butcher's Wife, four times before relenting and entering the establishment. She was glad, there was a barmaid working that looked nice enough, so Ginny decided upon asking for directions back to Diagon Alley.

After mustering all the courage she had she followed the barmaid around the pub, trying several times to get her attention. It was when she'd reached the same back corner at which Ginny currently resided, when she cleared her throat loudly and the barmaid turned around.

"Take a seat; I'll be right with you," she began to walk off when Ginny spoke up.

"But I just need—"

The barmaid cut her off, turning around again. "Look, I said I'll be right there, okay? It may not look like it but I'm _very_ busy!"

Not wanting to anger the already steamed off woman, Ginny sank slowly into the nearest chair.

Again, this didn't seem to be such a big problem. She could just wait for the barmaid to come back, ask for directions and hightail it out of the whole mess. That was, of course, until the table next to her was occupied. Her heart had nearly stopped upon seeing Lucius Malfoy sit down but, fortunately enough, he hadn't seemed to see her, because he began a very interesting conversation with the man that had accompanied him in.

It was then that her damned curiosity had taken over.

"Not everyone will go along with this. You know that, right?"

"Do I look like a fool to you?" Lucius' voice drawled in a bored tone. "This is no news to me. What concerns me is what's to be done with those that turn against it."

"Simple enough," the second man was gruff and _huge_. He was someone that Ginny hoped to be like Hagrid, where his could-be-frightening appearance was overtaken by his kind smile and good nature. This wasn't the case, Ginny quickly concluded upon hearing the man's low, menacing chuckle.

Before she knew it, she had slid from her chair and was creeping even _closer_ to the table. They were planning _something_, and possible murder of several people because of it.

"Don't be stupid," Lucius snapped quietly. "It's not that simple. We still need them, they can't be harmed. And anyways, we want as little attention drawn to this as possible. How's it going to look when even _more_ people start vanishing all over the place?"

Ginny's blood pumped even faster at his words. A call for a low profile meant something big was being planned.

"There are still two options though," the man chuckled again. "Threaten them. If worse comes to worse, curse them."

"You're still not thinking clear enough. People are beginning to suspect everyone for the Imperious, and memory charms are being broken left and right. What we need is some subtle persuasion. We'll talk to Nott and Avery, Goyle and Crabbe as well, they'll be good for _something_. We'll attack Goblinwatch in four days, just before dawn."

"But…Goblinwatch is full of our allies, and neutrals. What's to be accomplished of that?"

Malfoy sighed, looking almost disgusted. "You're an idiot. We attack the goblins; make it look as if it were planned by the Order."

"They'll believe that?"

"My friend, the goblins will believe _anything_ the Dark Lord tells them. He could tell them that hats are pants and shoes are flowers and the dumb things would go around wearing top hats around their bottoms and handing bouquets of _trainers_ to their sweethearts."

His accomplice laughed again, stamping his foot dangerously close to Ginny's hand. "And that will make them see then?"

"When the goblins take retribution, the effects _won't _be pretty. Let those who disagree with us know that we gave the goblins the push they needed and _no one_ will dare go against us."

By Ginny's own horrible luck, her shifting foot came in contact with a stray sickle, sending a small ping to fill the air as it ricocheted right off of Lucius Malfoy's chair.

"What? Idiot!" Malfoy seethed, standing and drawing out his wand. "You didn't notice that girl there?"

Lucius continued to hiss something to the other man, but Ginny didn't hear what, for she had just bolted, quite literally for her life, out the door and down the ally.

---It gets better---

Draco Malfoy slunk in and out of the shadows of the hallways of Hogwarts, waiting for his opportune moment to strike. It was his mission, his _destiny_, to stake out this precise spot and stay there until the old loon was coming back to his office.

He would be dead before he even uttered the password.

Sweat ran down the boy's forehead, and he wiped it off subconsciously, his every muscle tensing as Albus Dumbledore came into view. Draco had been right. He had barely opened his mouth before Draco had shot the fatal curse at him.

Smirking and looking quite pleased with himself, the young wizard strode out into the torchlight, nudging the old man's shoulder with his foot.

It was then that they overtook him.

Half a dozen wizards surrounded him, their wands sparking. Draco gave frenzied glances in all directions, hoping to find an escape route. There _was _one spot that Draco could squeeze through if he leapt towards it with all his might, but just as he began preparing to do so, Severus Snape blocked it, stepping into the ring in front of Malfoy.

"Professor!" he gasped, growing all the more vulnerable as every ounce of composure he had slipped through his fingers. "Professor, help!"

The man simply sighed, shaking his head. "Don't you see, Draco? You were meant to fail all along."

"No! I-I killed him! I did it! Look!" he pointed to the lifeless body of one of the greatest wizards of all time.

"Yes. You did. But you weren't meant to survive this task. _Avada_—"

---What's going on? Oh, I see---

"Narcissa?"

The woman in question jerked violently from her reoccurring nightmare, somehow retaining all of the poise and elegance she possessed.

"So sorry for the wait," Albus Dumbledore apologized, taking his seat behind his desk. "I believe you had something of utter importance to talk to me about?"

"It's Draco," the composure she had so proudly harnessed began to slip from her grasp the moment her son's name left her mouth. Her eyes glowed eerily with tears and her bottom lip quavered as a child's might when they've done something very, very wrong. "The Dark Lord has given him a task."

"I thought that might be the case," Dumbledore nodded sagely. "What is this task?"

"To kill you," she choked out the words, abandoning the practice of remaining calm at all. "By the end of the school year and I," she gave a small sob as tears slid down her cheeks, "I just know he'll try it, if only to please Lucius. But that's it! He wasn't meant to survive this task, I can feel it! It was given to him as a punishment for Lucius! He will die, Albus! My only son will die!" she pulled out a handkerchief and mopped at her eyes, daring herself to look straight into those of Albus Dumbledore. What she gathered sent her mind spinning, finding that the news of his impending death had not slighted him in the least.

"I thought it might be something such as that. And you are correct on two counts: that this task was given as punishment to Lucius and that he was not meant to survive. What you are wrong about, however, is the time span of your son's life. He will not die. Not until he has reached a ripe old age, such as me."

"You will help him then?" she looked at him hopefully, her sixteen year old son's life hanging in the balance of his decision.

His eyes twinkled at the woman. How could she think for one second that he would refuse to help her? "I will do everything in my power though, I admit, it will not be easy as I imagine Draco will not be particularly cooperative in the process."

"Bless you, Albus! Oh, bless your heart!" she began sobbing once more with relief as she envisioned how they could keep him safe.

"I will not allow a life so unlived to go on as such," he answered her simply. "Nor will I allow someone with as much potential as Draco to stray down the wrong path. He is young, and so there is still time for him. Now," Dumbledore cleared his throat, smiling at the thankful woman before him. "You still look a bit distressed. I have just the trick here!" he rummaged in his desk for a moment before producing a small tin. "They are very calming, I find," he held said tin out to Narcissa. "Lemon drop?"


	2. Chapter 2

Draco's fingers itched to reach for his wand. He was _right there_. _Right_ there before him, with only Snape as a witness, who knew about the whole affair already.

He stared blankly into his would-be victim's eyes, watching in disgust as they twinkled merrily into his own. Not only merrily, but _knowingly_, as they always seemed to be. Well, Draco would show him, wouldn't he? He would never know what Draco was to do. Not until it was too late.

He was giving himself a sort of mental pep talk; egging himself on to pluck up the nerve and get the job over with. He found his hand beginning to reach for his pocket slowly when the old man decided to speak.

"Ah, here they are."

Draco's hand dropped lifelessly to his side instantly, glaring at the door that was being opened slowly, his annoyance intensifying even more so as he observed who was being ushered in.

"What's _she_ doing here?" he asked, turning to his professor.

Dumbledore frowned at the boy's tone, motioning to a chair to the new occupant of the room. "One would think you would use a better tone with your mother, Draco."

He eyed his mother as she sat, turning back to Dumbledore. "What's going on? I didn't do anything—school hasn't even _started_ yet!"

"I realize that, Draco," Dumbledore answered. The boy was _not_ going to be cooperative. "It's not a punishment, Draco. It's simply for your protection."

"What? Protection?" Draco looked from the Headmaster to Snape to his mother. His eyes narrowed slightly. "What do you mean _protection_?"

"From the Dark Lord. And your father, as it is."

Draco stood so fast that his chair was pushed back a foot and a half. "I don't need protection!" he spat angrily. Protection from the Dark Lord? Draco was _serving_ the Dark Lord! "Not from him, not from anyone!"

"Draco, sweetie, please calm down and just sit—"

Draco spun to face his mother. "_What_ have you done?" he hissed coldly. "Who did you talk to?"

"She talked to me, Draco."

He turned to the Headmaster, barely veiling his terror. _He knows?_ "What did you tell him?" he spat at her. _What a bloody fool! Does she _want _me shipped off to Azkaban?_

"Everything," Dumbledore answered for his mother once again, whose mouth hung open at her son's disrespect towards her. "She told me everything, Draco. And we are doing everything we can to stop this while we can."

Draco had the nerve to scoff at the great man before him. "Stop _what_? What can _you _do to stop it? Even if I don't do it he'll just send someone else!"

"I understand and have acknowledged that fact, Draco, but what I am more concerned about is saving you, and not myself."

Draco was speechless. He felt himself shaking, and couldn't place if it was from anger or the surge of nervousness that had flooded his body. "Ever stop to think that perhaps I don't _want _to be saved?"

Narcissa Malfoy gasped, tears spilling out of her eyes instantly. Snape stood silent, still, as if he weren't even witnessing the scene. Dumbledore stood. "I will not allow you to throw your life away. You are _sixteen_, Draco. A choice such as the one you've been given shouldn't even be _considered_ for another few years. You will not return to Hogwarts next year, for that reason."

"Where am I supposed to go?" Draco questioned. "They'll find me, wherever you decided to stick me. Those aren't fools you're dealing with."

"I understand that," Dumbledore nodded, "but there is _one _place they won't be able to find you."

---Poor Draco---

"Goblinwatch has been informed, and there are aurors and members of the Order there as well."

Ginny nodded in relief at the news. "That wasn't all they were planning, sir. It was something else. Goblinwatch was only to convince the people that wouldn't agree with it. It has to be really big," she looked down at her hands, which she'd been twisting for the past five minutes, "really big, because they don't want attention drawn to it. He refuses to kill resisters."

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, yes. The Ministry is currently investigating Lucius, though, very unsuccessfully it seems. They seem to have him well hidden these days, and the Ministry seems to be more concerned about rounding up those prisoners instead of the things that really matter."

Ginny fought herself from standing in an outrage. "_Why_ would they round up the prisoners? I mean honestly, _what_ will they do with them when they do? The dementors have up and left. How else do they plan to contain them?"

Dumbledore simply contended in nodding once more in agreement. "Yes, it is very frustrating, isn't it? The Ministry is very frustrating to deal with."

Ginny shook her head, still in disbelief at the idiots that were running their country. "I still don't understand why you didn't accept the position as Minister and set all of this straight."

He chuckled merrily at this. "I enjoy being a Headmaster far too much to give it up. And in any case, the Minister's shoes are hard to fill, and I find that I'm not much of a political man."

"Yes, well, neither is Fudge," Ginny grumbled quietly.

"Oh, they'll be appointing a new minister soon. Hopefully this one will be more cooperative."

"Doubtful," Ginny huffed.

Dumbledore chuckled again. "Yes, yes. But politics was not the reason I visited. What I wanted—oh, there you two are," Dumbledore paused as Ginny's mum and dad appeared in the doorway of the study.

They walked over and took a seat on either side of Ginny, making her feel quite uncomfortable. What did Dumbledore want to discuss with her _and _her parents?

"It seems…with the recent breakout…and Lucius Malfoy recognizing you in that pub…well, he'll know that you know much more than you should…which is nothing. I imagine."

Ginny couldn't believe it. _Is Dumbledore stumbling over words_?

"It seems that, for your protection of course, you shouldn't be allowed to return to Hogwarts. There are far too many possibilities."

Ginny cocked her head to the side in concentration. She played the words through her head. Not allowed to return to Hogwarts? Her head spun. "But…where am I to go?"

"Someplace safer."

Her mother took her hand while her father patted her shoulder. Ginny was becoming more confused by the second. "But…I thought there was no place safer than Hogwarts!"

"Indeed, there isn't," Dumbledore nodded, glancing to each of her parents in turn. "Yes, Hogwarts _is _the safest place…in the _Wizarding_ World."

---Oh, poor, poor Ginny---

"NEVER!"

"Please, just—"

"NO!" Draco slung a chair across the lounge, knocking a portrait off of the wall it hit. "I WILL _NOT_, MOTHER! NEVER!"

"Draco, it's for your own good! Please, darling, just—"

"STUPID!" he cut his mother off again with the single word and she stood frozen in place. He took the opportunity to break the silence dramatically by sending a four-thousand galleon vase through the nearest window. "YOU ARE STUPID! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME? HOW COULD YOU TURN IN YOUR OWN SON YOU STUPID" Draco kicked the end table next to him "FOOLISH" he picked up another vase and sent it to a fiery death in the hearth "BINT!" he picked up a picture of said woman in question and chucked it to the wall, sending it flying merely a foot past his mother's head.

He stood there, panting and red-faced. Narcissa Malfoy drew herself up and took a deep breath, returning her to the haughty state she usually maintained. "Go to your room," she spoke quietly, trying to keep her son from knowing how hurt she was, "now. Go to your room and calm down."

He himself straightened, staring his mother in the eyes coldly. "Oh, I'll go to my room," he assured her, spinning around and stomping out of the room, leaving his now-crying mother in his wake.

---What a temper---

"Darling?"

Ginny's mother put a hand on Ginny's shoulder. Ginny sat on the ground before her closet, her clothes strewn about. She turned to her mum with a teary face. "Please don't make me go," she choked out softly. "I don't want to go!"

Molly Weasley knelt in front of Ginny, her eyes glimmering with tears. She took her daughter's face in her hands and pulled her closer. "Oh, I know sweetie, I know. I don't want to send you there. It's hard enough shipping you off to Hogwarts every year, and we know many adults there. You need to understand though—"

"I know, mum," Ginny interrupted, "I know, it's for my own good. It's just so hard…"

"Everything will be fine, dear. You'll learn new things, and you'll meet new people…and eventually you'll find this all a blessing."

"A blessing?"

"A blessing in disguise!" her mother assured her. "Yes, of course it is! You'll see how blessed you are, that you're so talented and how easy your life is compared to theirs! Oh, it's not going to be easy, but you'll have your wand for emergencies and—"

"Where will I live?"

Molly looked down, picking up a random garment and folding it neatly. "You—you'll be on your own most of the time…but Tonks will check in on you from time to time, and other members…and you can owl us whenever you need to, any of us. Just make sure your owl isn't seen. Only at night."

Ginny nodded. Sighing as she pulled more clothes towards her. "This is going to be difficult."

"I can't even imagine what you're going through," her mother informed her, and meaning every syllable. "It's so overwhelming…just don't do anything drastic, like trying to run away."

Molly smiled as her daughter laughed and hugged her. "Don't worry mum. I'm far more mature than that."

---Such Kodak moments---

"Tabby, aren't you supposed to be packing Draco's things?" Narcissa placed her hands on her hips, regarding the house-elf suspiciously.

"Tabby was, mistress! But Tabby was having to come back inside when the master tossed her out the window!"

"He _what_?"

Indeed, the house-elf was considerably battered, small cuts decorating her face and arms.

"And face-first!" Narcissa gasped. She climbed the stairs to her son's room, throwing open the doors and searching about wildly.

Draco was nowhere to be found, and neither was his broom.

---What a pathetic attempt---

It hadn't started out as an escape attempt. Draco simply wanted to go flying. It was then that the thought struck him. _They can't send me away if they can't find me!_

He'd had to take care of the stupid house-elf packing his things, first ordering it to stop. It didn't listen to him! The _house-elf_ didn't listen to him, the _master_.

The stupid thing insisted that the mistress had commanded it not to stop until the packing was finished. Draco had eventually ushered the servant out of his room, giving it a nice boot out the window. Surprisingly enough, sending the elf three stories to the ground did little to calm his temper. In fact, it just made him angrier.

He didn't know where he was going, but he made sure he had his wand and some spare change before picking up his broom and, he too, exiting through the window.

---What a bad boy---

Ginny's eyes rested on her broom and her recently made promise to her mother ran through her head. Sighing, she threw her latest stack of clothes into her trunk. She had begun scooping up all of her stationary and her favorite quills and parchment and was about to dump that into the trunk as well, when a knock sounded at her door.

"Come in," she granted her caller permission, turning as they entered.

"Don't sound so excited."

"But can't you tell? I'm just so enthusiastic about this whole thing! I think I'll leave right tonight, that way I won't have to wait to be _exiled_," she spat the last word bitterly, plopping down on her bed.

Bill took a seat next to her, frowning. "You aren't being _exiled_, Gin. You _know _that this is for your protection. Imagine what would happen if Malfoy caught up with you."

Ginny shuddered at the thought, and was about to comment that Hogwarts was safe enough but Bill continued: "And even at Hogwarts! Gin, you know that a good two-third's of those Slytherin's parents are in the servitude of Voldemort. It would be just as easy for you to be attacked there. In fact, we'd practically be sending you right into their hands. It's just not safe, Ginbug, and we want you _completely_ safe, 100 percent."

Ginny smiled at the use of her brother's nickname for her. "This sucks."

"I know, I know. But I'll stop by every once in awhile to check up on you. We all will."

"Joy," Ginny stood, placing the last of her things in her trunk. She attempted to shut the lid and found that it wouldn't close all the way. She lifted the lid, rearranged a few garments and tried to close it again. Once more, it came inches from shutting. Ginny sat on the top of it, hoping that her weight would push it down the rest of the way, growing ever more frustrated when it nothing to help. "Oh, bugger it!" Ginny kicked the trunk, holding her foot as her brother chuckled at her.

"You shouldn't kick inanimate objects, Ginbug," he stood next to her, muttering some incantation that caused the trunk lid to snap shut and lock itself.

She turned away from him towards the window, sighing as the first drops of a big storm hit her window. "I'm going to miss you."

Bill laughed. "You wouldn't be seeing me anyhow!"

"I _know _that, but…this is different…Hogwarts is different…"

"I don't envy you, I'll give you that much. You have a tough year ahead of you. But you can do it, I know you can."

"Think so?"

Bill laughed once more at his little sister. "Did I not just say that I _know_ so?" he pulled Ginny over to him and hugged her.

"Thanks, Bill."

---I love siblings sometimes---

For the first time in her life, Narcissa Malfoy answered the door, throwing it open anxiously.

There stood her rain-soaked son, accompanied by Severus Snape.

"He came to my house."

Narcissa looked up quickly from studying her son's face, gasping. "Wormtail—"

"Was out, luckily enough for _you_," he hissed the last part at Draco, pushing him over the threshold roughly. "How stupid can you be, Draco? Dumbledore is trying to protect you, and you thank him by _running away_? Highly foolish and highly immature."

"You _will_ be punished for this, young man," Narcissa took a firm stance with her son, also for the first time in her life. Draco looked positively shocked at the threat.

"I know what's to happen," Snape offered, stepping in himself and shutting the door. He pulled to objects out of his pocket, enlarging one, he handed Draco's broom to his mother, as well as his wand.

Draco watched in horror. "I can't even have my _broom_?"

"Stupid boy!" Snape chided him. "In the middle of a muggle town? How dense _are _you? Even at night someone could see you! No, the broom was out from the start. What you've lost because of this little escapade was your _wand_."

---Sucky for him---

She walked the hallways and inspected all of the rooms, following Tonks on a guided tour. "And here's the kitchen, oh isn't it quaint?" It was full of things Ginny had never seen before. She recognized some stuff from her Muggle Studies book, such as the stove, and microwave, but others such as the small white box with two holes on the top remained a mystery to her.

Ginny turned to Tonks, frowning. "Did you just say 'quaint'?"

Tonks laughed. "Ha, oh, yes, I suppose I did. Well…if you think you're quite alright then I suppose…"

"I'll be fine, Tonks. I have a lot of unpacking to do."

"Don't stay up too late! You've got classes tomorrow!"

"I know, I know," Ginny nodded, ushering the auror towards the front door. She had taken her to see the school earlier that day. It was _small_.

"There's some muggle money on the table for your lunch—"

"I know, Tonks," Ginny said again.

"—as well as some for just fun outings—"

"I _know_, Tonks!"

"So have a good first day, and make new friends!"

"I'll try, Tonks."

Tonks smiled at Ginny as she opened the door. "You're being very brave, Ginny."

Ginny didn't know how to respond to that, so she just nodded.

"Stay safe!"

"I will."

"One of us will be along in a few days or so."

Ginny nodded. "Bye, Tonks."

"Bye!"

The door snapped shut behind the now brown-haired woman. That was the most energetic she'd seen Tonks in quite awhile.

Ginny turned around, leaning against the door. The empty living room stared back at her menacingly.

Ginny sighed. "I better unpack," she spoke to no one, and the slight echo that returned to her ears did nothing to calm her rising trepidation.

---Poor, poor, poor Ginny---

"It smells funny."

"Nonsense."

"No!" Draco Malfoy crinkled his nose in disgust. "It does!" he insisted, opening the nearest window.

"It's all in your head. It's new and you're trying to find every little thing wrong with it, as you _always_ do."

Draco glared at the back of his professor's head. "I don't want to stay here."

"Well unless you want to live with _muggles_, you have no choice. It's the closest one to your school, and the cheapest, so you're taking it."

Draco looked completely astounded. He'd never had anything _cheap_ in his _life_. "Certainly I can afford better that _this_," he looked about the small apartment, detesting it with every fiber of his being.

"Just because your father is in hiding doesn't mean that he's not keeping an eye on his assets. He will become suspicious if we remove too much money from Gringotts, so clearly, you _can't_ afford better. It will suit you just fine."

Snape made his way to the door of the grubby apartment, turning before he left. "Behave."

Draco nodded, staring glumly in the other direction.

"And for Merlin's sake, be smart and stay safe."

He merely nodded again, refusing to look in that direction until the door had closed.

---Draco is so finicky---

That's that then…oh btw, Draco's meeting took place in Dumbledore's office, and Ginny's at the Order Headquarters. It's right at the end of summer. Next chapter is the first day of school.

In case you haven't figured it out, this is somewhat of a HBP AU…I'm doing my best to stick with the smaller details, like the color of Tonks' hair, and I know she's slightly OOC in relation to HBP in this chapter, but I didn't realize it until I was reading through and didn't want to redo that whole section.


	3. Chapter 3

Ginny studied the man before her. The principal, as it was. Ginny quickly discovered that this man was the equivalent to a Headmaster, though, judging by the unruly hallways Ginny passed through to get to his office, it was plain to see that he had nowhere near the amount of power over the school that Dumbledore did.

He was taller, and balding, and had a sense about him that irritated Ginny before he even spoke. "Everything's in order then," he paused as a small black box on his desk started talking. He picked it up, pushing a button and spoke: "What?" he sounded angry. "Where is it?" the box said something Ginny couldn't make out. "Fine, fine, I'll be right there," he put the box down and handed Ginny a piece of paper. "Here's your schedule, your teachers have been informed. Just bring a notebook and pencil to class. Welcome to Kasson-Mantorville and enjoy your first day," he spoke quite fast, all the while moving over to the door and opening it, pointing Ginny out.

She stepped out into the chaos of the hallways once again. She looked around and then checked her watch. Classes were starting in three minutes and the hallways were still _packed_. She made her way through the waves of bodies, locating her locker with little difficulty. She opened it, wondering what exactly she was supposed to use it for. She shrugged, placing her book bag inside, pulling out a notebook and pen that Tonks had given her the night before.

Ginny studied her schedule. She had art first, room 213. She looked around. She was by room 206. Sadly, knowing her location didn't help the problem of finding her destination. She turned to ask the people to her left, quickly turning away, blushing, as she discovered they were in an intense snogging session right up against the lockers. She looked to her right. There was a girl crouched on the ground, digging around in the bottom of her locker. Ginny shut the door to hers and crouched next to her.

Clearing her throat, Ginny began: "Um, excuse me, I—"

"You're the new student, aren't you?" the girl interrupted.

"Er, yes, and—"

"Can't find your class?"

"Er, right."

"Whatcha got?"

"Art, room 213."

"Oh, that's a close one, just down the hallway," the girl stood and pointed down the hall. "Here I'll take you," she shut her locked, moving her fingers through her fluffy brown hair. Ginny was reminded with a painful twinge of Hermione. One day and she already missed her. It was so much harder, being in America while her entire life was back in England.

"How are all of these classes packed so close together?" Ginny muttered, glancing about in wonder.

"What? This is how every high school is in America."

"Well…" Ginny cursed herself for being stuck without a lie before her first day even started. "I went to a private boarding school…it was huge."

The girl nodded, stopping in front of an open doorway. "Here's art, then. _I _don't have it, but my friend Kerry does," the girl leaned into the room and called her friend out. She was tall, with dark red hair. Ginny suspected she must have changed the color herself, for though it looked wonderful on her, it wasn't a very natural shade. "My name is Anna, by the way," the first girl introduced herself. "This is my friend Kerry. Kerry this is the new kid—"

"Ginevra," Ginny supplied when Anna paused. The girls stared at her. Ginny tried not to blush. "Family name. I hate it. I like to be called Ginny, though, or Gin."

"Ginevra," Anna repeated the name slowly. "I like it!" she pronounced after a moment. "It sounds so…_mystical_."

"Er, yes," Ginny gave a nervous laugh.

"Oh, goodness, I'd better get to math! I'll see you guys later!" the girl rushed away and rounded the corner. Ginny looked at Kerry, who motioned into the classroom.

She was fortunate enough to be able to sit next to the girl, and was thankful that the teacher didn't interrogate her in front of the class on her first day.

---Poor Ginny in a hick town---

"You're late," the teacher informed him as he strolled into the classroom.

"Right, sorry," Draco mumbled.

"Sit anywhere," the teacher waved his hand around the classroom. "Tardiness…not a very good first impression for a new student."

Draco glared at the teacher and sat in the first open desk. _Stupid muggle school in stupid muggle America_…_time difference…stupid…_his thoughts on the stupidity of many things kept him wrapped in his own world, until a voice next to him sounded.

"New kid, huh? You must be from England. Well of course you are; I mean you have an accent, so obviously you are. You know I once met a band and the lead singer had an accent like yours, ah, it made me melt! I kissed him. It would have been awesome if he hadn't tasted like cigarettes and beer, but oh well; I still kissed him, right? So running late this morning are you? I always end up running late. My stupid brother hogs the bathroom, doing his hair. You'd think he was a girl how long he takes I mean it's ridiculous. So what's your name?"

Draco sat still, staring at the girl for a full minute, making sure she was done talking before answering her. "Draco," he muttered, turning his attention to the front of the room. He'd honestly have rather paid attention in class than listen to another two minute rambling from the girl.

"Draco, huh? That's a weird name. Well, I suppose, weird to me, but I'm American aren't I? For all I know it could be quite the common name where you're from. So how about it? Is it common in England?"

Draco was amazed at how fast the girl could speak. "Er…no, it's pretty uncommon there as well."

Expecting another attack of words from the girl, Draco put a finger to his lips and nodded to the teacher. Smirking to himself as the girl nodded in understanding, Draco began to etch a snake along the side of his blank sheet of paper, only half-listening to what the teacher was saying.

After a few moments, the girl tossed a folded up piece of paper onto his desk. Glancing over to her irritably, and up to the teacher, he pulled it under his desk and opened it.

'_I decided that I like your name, even if it is weird. My name is Jess. Well, Jessica really, but you can call me whatever a lot of people just make up random names for me, how weird is that? This teacher is so boring. This is the fourth class I've had with him since last year and I do horrible every single time. Hopefully this year will be different, but just from the first ten minutes of class I can see that it's probably going to be exactly the same. So what do you think, do you like our school? I know it's small, and the people aren't very friendly, but then you don't look all that friendly either, so maybe you'll fit in, who knows? I'll introduce you to all my friends and you can sit with us at lunch, ok?_'

Scowling at the girl's amazing ability to annoy him more than Potter himself, Draco scratched a curt reply to the girl and haphazardly threw it back to her desk.

'_Perhaps the reason you always do bad in class is because you devote all your attention to making me want to jump out the window._'

The girl laughed quietly. A few minutes later, he received a reply from her. Obviously she seemed to have taken the insult as an invite to keep conversing with him.

'_Haha, you're funny. You could try, but I don't think you'd get very far. Wow, I took a glance at your paper a second ago. That's a really good drawing. Do you take art classes? I think you'd be really good in art class. I hate people with artistic talent. I can't draw a stick figure to save my life! Though I suppose I can sing, and play guitar and all so maybe my talent is more vocal. Do you like to draw a lot? You don't look very happy. What's wrong? Homesick?__'_

Draco was startled to notice that a growl escaped from the back of his throat. He looked at the girl, held up the paper, and crumpled it into a ball, tossing it into the garbage can next to him.

The girl eyed him and shrugged, turning the opposite direction and exchanging words with the girl on her other side.

Draco began praying to Merlin that he had no other classes with Jessica.

---Poor me, I work with that girl---

"Bother!"

Ginny jumped as a blonde haired girl ran up to Anna and punched her in the shoulder, shouting in her ear.

"Ah!" Anna deposited her book into her locker quickly and shut it, facing the attacker and raising her fists.

Ginny watched in wonder. Were they going to get into a brawl just because of _that_? But what she witnessed was more of a dance between the two, rather than a fight. Apparently the object was to try to tap each other's shoulders. When they did, they yelled 'bother'. Ginny shrugged. _Must be an American thing_…

"Haha, okay, okay. Natalie, this is Ginny, the new kid from England."

The blonde lowered her fists and stepped up to Ginny, staring at her in fascination. "I've always wanted to go to England!" she informed her. "I'm Natalie. I see you're unfortunate enough to have a locker right next to Anna and Hannah."

Ginny glanced around, locating the two in question. She'd met Hannah after art class. Turning back to the newer girl, she nodded. "Well don't worry; I'll be around to keep you sane."

"Funny, seeing as how you can't even manage to keep _yourself_ sane, Miss Nightshade," Hannah teased her. Anna laughed along.

Natalie looked rather offended for a moment, before smiling. "Yeah, ha, I guess that's true. Lunch then?"

"Cold," Hannah held up her brown sack lunch, sitting down gracefully against her locker, her long skirt spread out around her.

Ginny followed Anna and Natalie into the cafeteria, gaping at the wild scene before her. The sense of urgency the crowd gave off was incredible. "It's like every man for himself here!" Ginny gasped as they came upon a line where fries where being served. Boys were snatching the fries up left and right greedily. Natalie eyed a white chain connected to two blue posts that created a barrier between her and the French fries.

"What's this?" she questioned Anna, lightly tapping one of the blue posts with her foot. Shrugging, she stepped right over the white chain and threw herself into the mix. "Fries or chicken poppers?" she called out to them.

"Fries please!" Anna called.

"Um…chicken?"

Natalie nodded and entered the throng once more. "Hey, oh no no no no, I don't think so. _My_ fries! Get away you damn vultures!" she stood in line then, motioning them over the chain and handing them their food.

A tall man with white hair walked over to them, tapping Natalie on the shoulder. "You can't just step over the chain. That's what the chain is there for."

Natalie looked genuinely confused. "What?"

"The chain is there so you pay for your food in the right line," the man verified. Natalie scowled at him.

"Well, it appears I'm not moving, am I? That's stupid. That chain is dumb."

The man shook his head, frowning at the blonde before him. Turning away and giving up, he went back to his post five feet away, watching every student like a hawk.

"That's stupid," Natalie continued. "People are going to trip trying to get over that—meaning _I'm _going to trip trying to get over that."

"I think the point is to go around and to the back of the line," Anna pointed out.

Natalie snorted. "Pshh…that would take _way_ too long."

Ginny smiled at the strange girl, eyeing the food she held in her hand. _Chicken poppers_?

---Lunchtime is Hell at KM High---

Draco, despite his best efforts, found himself following Jessica through the cafeteria and over to the food. She was _still_ talking, and had been ever since her and her friend had ambushed him at his locker.

Jessica was cute enough, he decided, though he prevailed over her by at least a foot and a half, and then a few inches. She must have been no taller than five feet! She had short, rich, brown hair that framed her face nicely, and wore shimmery eye makeup that enhanced her blue eyes. Her lips seemed to shine, and Draco caught her applying the stuff to her mouth at least once every five minutes. She could have been quite admirable, if it weren't for her need to jabber on incessantly.

He sat with the girl and her friends at her table, nodding vaguely when she introduced him to her male friends. He tuned out their conversation, picking around at the food halfheartedly. Lost in thought, Draco found himself feeling unusually vulnerable without Crabbe and Goyle around, and lonely, though he wasn't even really friends with them. He found himself missing Pansy, and her constant simpering over him; and Blaise, and his pointless stories and haughty comments.

And then something hit him—hit him so fast and hard that Draco dropped his fork in surprise, finding it hard to take in air.

_I miss Potter_.

---Don't be surprised…he's easy to miss---

Ginny flopped down unto her bed, slinging her book bag to the ground as she went.

"What a day," she sighed, resting her arm over her eyes.

She'd never missed Hogwarts so much, and never thought that life in the muggle world, especially in _America_, could be so complicated.

The teachers she could deal with, even when she'd had to stand up during math and give a ten minute speech on England and why she had moved to Minnesota, all the while pulling impromptu lies out her arse. And the classes were something different than she was used to, that was for sure, but something she could deal with none the less.

It was the students, the groups—the _cliques_ that she didn't understand. In Hogwarts it was simple: Gryffindors with Gryffindors, Slytherins with Slytherins, and every once in a great while, a slight intermixture between random houses. But it was far different in the muggle world. People in sports (Natalie had described them as jocks) sat together, walked together and just _were_ together, and not with many other people. The richer kids were the same way. Natalie had pointed out each of the cliques as they traipsed through the hallways during lunch; pointing out the 'Goths' the 'preps' the 'skaters' and so many more that Ginny's head spun.

Natalie had described herself as a drifter, belonging to many different cliques at once and moving from one to the other when she felt the time was right. She had sounded completely professional about it all; as if she explained this to everyone she met. Ginny studied each group briefly, mentally chalking up where she thought she might belong best. That night, as she skipped supper and dozed off lying on top of her bed fully clothed, Ginny came to one conclusion that made her heart sink heavily:

_I'm going to be a complete loner._

---Bad first days are the worst---

There's that then…hope you're all enjoying it…I'm having a blast writing it!! Okay, when I started writing this I had Draco and Ginny as FES (foreign exchange students) but it just won't work out, so if I missed some along the way when I was changing them just pretend it says 'new kid' or 'new student' or somethin like that


	4. Chapter 4

She had survived her first week of muggle school. How, she wasn't completely sure. But there she was, on Friday night, pulling a sweater on and waiting for her new friends to pick her up to see her first American football game. She was reapplying her mascara when a loud crack sounded in the hallway and she nearly poked her eye out.

"Anybody home?"

"Lupin?" Ginny opened her door and found the man in question, his hand raised in a fist, ready to knock. "Hi!"

"Hi, Ginny. How was your first week? Are you doing alright?"

"I'm…fine," Ginny answered hesitantly, mildly surprised when she found that she'd answered honestly as well.

"That's good," Lupin nodded, looking almost relieved. "Sorry we didn't send someone earlier. We had a bit of a…situation on our hands."

Ginny's heart sank. "What happened?"

"Well…we apprehended Lucius Malfoy…"

Ginny eyed the man suspiciously. "…And…?"

"And he got away."

"_How_?"

"Er…brute force, it seems. He uh…took Shacklebolt with him."

"Took him as in…" Ginny trailed off, hoping Lupin didn't mean what she thought he meant. He lowered his head, confirming Ginny's fears. She felt tears sting her eyes. "Because of me."

"No! No, no, Ginny. Not because of you. It would have happened eventually—you know we've been after him since the break out."

Ginny nodded, but still couldn't help feeling that Shacklebolt had been killed in her name. She finally understood how Harry had felt about the Department of Mysteries, and Kingsley Shacklebolt was _hardly_ a godfather to her.

"So how was it then?"

"It's been…interesting…definitely different. I'm going to a football game tonight with some girls from my grade."

"Oh!" Lupin sounded pleased at her social agenda.

"An _American_ football game."

"_Oh_," he sounded interested now. "Do you know anything—"

"Nothing at all," Ginny laughed, cutting off the question. "They should be here soon though."

A knock sounded at the door and Ginny nodded her head in the direction.

"Right. Well, let me know how it goes! I trust I don't have to remind you to keep a low profile and stay safe and—"

"I'll be fine, Lupin. I promise."

He nodded and disapparated with another loud crack.

Ginny flew down the stairs and opened the door. "Sorry I took so long, I couldn't find my sweater and—"

"It's cool. You ready?"

Ginny nodded, climbing into the backseat of a red car. A girl, Leah, one of Natalie's friends, was driving them just the few blocks to the game. What Ginny saw there left her stunned beyond belief.

---What did she see?---

Boys. Many boys. Many _cute_ boys, in very _tight_ pants. Ginny could barely keep her mouth closed.

They sat in the stands for awhile, barely paying attention to the actual game and making small talk. Before long, Natalie found herself getting antsy and bored. "Let's walk around, huh? Actually I'm pretty thirsty. Want to go to the concessions with me?" Leah declined the offer but Ginny, finding herself growing thirsty as well, took her up on the offer.

Natalie pointed out who she thought was the cutest on Kasson's team, and then told Ginny that she worked with a boy that played for the other school, Triton.

The line to the concession stand was at least fifteen people long, and Ginny scuffed her shoe against the blacktop absentmindedly. Lost in her thoughts instantly, she nearly jumped out of her skin when Natalie grabbed her arm.

"Look at _that_ gorgeous thing!"

Ginny glanced around the edges of the field, looking for someone without a helmet on. "Where?"

Natalie giggled. "Not there. _There_," she took Ginny's faced and turned it to the left, stopping in the direction of a very tall, pale looking boy.

Her stomach plunged and her heart froze. Somewhere in the back of her mind, a distant part of her brain was finding it almost humorous that both father and son could do that to her.

His met eyes with hers. Less than ten feet away, Ginny actually saw him quirk an eyebrow. He began walking over to them, and Ginny felt her whole world spinning.

"Weasley!" he greeted her with a fake cheer—a show put on solely because of her company. "Fancy seeing you here."

Ginny nodded her acknowledgement. "Malfoy," she stated softly.

Natalie stared in wonder between the two of them. "You _know_ him?" she asked Ginny breathlessly.

Malfoy gave Natalie a charming smile and Ginny felt as if she were going to be sick.

"A word alone, if you would? Just one moment," he assured Natalie, and she nodded her consent. He grabbed hold of Ginny's elbow, none too gently, and pulled her away from the long line of witnesses.

Ginny found it hard to make her legs work; her brain must have known that no good could come of wandering away with Malfoy. _See_, Ginny thought absently, _I really _am _smart_.

She sighed when he stopped, making her face him. She looked to the ground, unwilling to show Malfoy that she was actually close to tears. "How'd you find me then?"

He scoffed at her. "With that red hair? I spotted you from the other side of the pitch twenty minutes ago."

Ginny took a deep breath. "No, I mean, how did you find me _here_?" she looked at him, finding confusion swirling in his icy eyes.

"What are you talking about, Weasley?"

"You weren't looking for me?"

"I didn't miss you _that_ much, little Weasel."

"I'm confused." Ginny scratched her head, studying his eyes for any deceptive game he might have been playing with her. "You really weren't looking for me?"

"Why would I be looking for you?"

"Because—" Ginny stopped, realization dawning on her. "What are you doing here?"

"Girl. Jessica. Bloody menace. Wouldn't leave me be until I agreed to come."

"No, no, no, I mean _here_. In the muggle world. In muggle _America_."

"I know what you meant."

"You are so infuriating!"

Malfoy smirked at her, backing away slowly. "Five years and you're just figuring this out? Just stay out of my way, Weasley, and we won't have any problems."

Ginny was about to point out that _he_ was the one that had contacted her, but realized that he had disappeared through the line before she could even think to speak.

---Oh dear---

He'd somehow managed to survive the girl's constant gabbing for the rest of the night, as well as her chiding when she discovered he'd wandered off. He _hadn't_, however, managed to figure out exactly what Ginny Weasley was doing in Minnesota.

_I wonder if she's got anyone with her…though they would probably be at the match too…_

He settled into his bed, making himself quite comfortable before drifting off to sleep slowly.

He didn't sleep long.

At glance to his clock showed it to be one o'clock in the morning. He'd slept for a whole hour and a half. _How refreshing_.

He moved about his apartment aimlessly, first looking for something to eat, and then sitting down to write a letter to his mother. He finally settled in front of the television. He'd been reluctant to turn it on since his first night there, when he'd sat glued to it until nearly four in the morning, consequently sleeping in and arriving to his first day of school late, tired, and in no mood for the people there.

He flipped through the channels, hardly processing the things he was watching. After an hour of not even a yawn, Draco switched of the box and wandered outside, walking the streets of the small town, looking for everything and nothing all at once.

---Insomnia, don't ya know---

"I'm bored," Leah announced.

"As am I," Ginny sighed.

"Let's go somewhere!" Natalie suggested.

Ginny sat, staring at the girl. "It's three in the morning."

"So? That doesn't mean anything. Come on, please? You _know _you're dying of boredom," she stood, picking up Leah's car keys, jingling them in persuasion.

Leah stood as well. "It could be fun. We could just drive around…"

"Alright," Ginny relinquished. "Let's go."

Driving around turned into cruising Dodge Center, the town closest to Kasson, which quickly turned to roaming the streets on foot.

They stopped at a Kwik Trip, buying refreshments, and Ginny, having finished first, left the store to walk the streets alone. She was only going a little bit ahead, she reasoned, the others would catch up with her in a moment.

All reassurances left her, however, upon spotting Malfoy. She ducked away into the shadows, trying to appear small and unseen, and continued walking through a small alley. She thought it had worked well, until she heard him directly behind her. He seized her wrists, destroying any thoughts of running.

"I thought I told you to stay out of my way," he hissed softly.

Ginny tried to remain calm and appear cool. "I didn't know your 'way' and your 'town' were the same thing. Is it a crime that I'm here?"

"It's nearly four in the morning."

Ginny shrugged. "What are you going to do, take points away? Sorry to disappoint you, Malfoy, but you hold no power over me anymore."

His vice-like grip tightened more so, and Ginny gave a small gasp of surprise. He pulled her back into him even more, chuckling in her ear. "Is that so?"

Ginny gave him an amused snort. "Do you think you actually scare me?"

He turned her around, his eyes burning through her own. After a moment he smirked and answered her: "The trembling body and fearful eyes kind of give it away. You'd be better off masking your emotions."

Ginny gave him a sweet smile. "Perhaps you could give me lessons?"

He had opened his mouth, probably to spit out some really clever cut that had jumped into his head, but it was a girl that spoke.

"Ooh, what are _you _two doing?" Leah.

"Look at that, hogging him all to herself," Natalie sighed.

Ginny thanked whoever was watching over her for her friends' impeccable timing. "We're doing nothing, and if you want him I can I assure you that _I don't_," Ginny scoffed at them, pulling her arms from Malfoy's grip and walking over to them. "I'm actually getting a little tired, let's just go back to my house."

Both Natalie and Leah didn't look happy about leaving Malfoy to himself. In fact, they both wore expressions that made it seem as if they were considering ripping off his clothes and shagging him on the spot.

_Disgusting_, Ginny thought, nauseated. _He's not even that good-looking._

The girls thought otherwise.

"Oh. My. God. Draco Malfoy is soo hot!!!" Natalie gushed the instant the last car door had closed.

"I wouldn't mind having a slice of that," Leah agreed.

"Gross. He's a git. You wouldn't like him, trust me," Ginny shook her head in disgust, attempting clear her mind of the images Natalie and Leah were causing to form.

"How do you know him, anyhow?!" Natalie asked, reaching into the backseat and swatting at Ginny. "And why don't you hook me up with him so _I _can decide if I like him or not?"

Natalie and Leah giggled, and Ginny's mind was filled with even _more_ disgusting thoughts about Malfoy.

"He went to my old boarding school. No idea what he's doing _here_ though. Everyone hated him, so that's probably why he moved," Ginny began to really wonder _what _exactly Malfoy was doing here.

"Everyone hated _that_ gorgeous thing?" Leah asked skeptically.

"Everyone but the Slytherins," Ginny informed them.

"The what?" Leah asked.

"_Slytherins_ did you say? What's that? His former gang?" Natalie sounded intrigued.

"Our school was divided into Houses, to organize the living quarters and the classes and schedules. Each class had two houses from one year."

Silence met her from the front seat.

"We have seven years, unlike your four-year high schools. We start formal education at eleven. So...History (Ginny made sure to leave off the 'of Magic') for me would be all the girls and boys from my year and house, Gryffindor, with the boys and girls from my year in Ravenclaw."

"What's up with the crazy names?" Leah asked after a moment.

Ginny wondered if she should be divulging so much information about Hogwarts. _It's not as if I'm telling them that it's a school of magic, _Ginny reasoned. _Or like they're going to try to look up information about it. "_Each house was named after one of the four founders of the school," she explained. "Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw and Salazar Slytherin."

"What's up with English people and their weird names?"

"Leah!" Natalie scolded, hitting the other girl. "I think the names are pretty cool, Ginny," Natalie said apologetically, giving Leah a foul glare. "Anyways I'm getting tired to--definitely ready to crash."

"Yeah, let's just go home," Leah agreed.

_Home_, Ginny thought glumly, staring out the window as the country passed her by. _I wish_.

---Homesickness sucks too---

I know it's pretty short, but review anyways, k?


End file.
